We've had decent weather for the last two weekends, giving me a chance to get my aging, out of shape self out on the Rivendell. No really long rides, mostly sociable rambles with friends, but it's always nice to go ride. Some observations -
1. I can't get over how much more I use the drops, now that they're actually within useable reach. The tops of the bars are perhaps 5mm lower than the saddle. Amazing how nice it is to have more than just the tops of the bars and the hoods to work with. This one, simple thing is starting to look like the answer to a lot of problems I've had on the bike the last couple of years. I can actually CLIMB using the drops. I find I stay seated much more than I did before - which is a good thing, since standing climbing has been a little difficult since I broke some ribs last year. Even out of shape, I'm finding I'm more comfortable at the end of the ride, with less fatigued in arms, neck, hands and shoulders.
a note - looking at other Rivs online, it seems to me that Grant spec'd a taller steerer extension than the norm on my bike. Probably taking into account that my standover measurements and saddle height measurements don't fit the normal system, due to a combination of Look cleats coupled with a no-doubt idiosyncratic pedaling style. Glad he did - the bar height is wonderful.
2. Our local "Paris-Roubaix" route, Dixie Drive, will probably always be a drag - but the combination of longer wheelbase, slightly-slacker angles, and RP tires takes much of the sting out of it. I suspect that by late Spring, when my legs and butt are more accustomed to being on a bike, I'll enjoy it more.
3. I haven't had a chance to take it on any really long, fast descents, but today I got to ride on part of the locally infamous Pickens Creek/Five Notch road, with a 30 mph descent for fun. Felt rock solid.
4. One thing I HAVE noticed more and more is that the bike just feels solid. None of the objectionable squirreliness the Bianchi was prone to at times, and much stabler than my steeper-than-normal PX-10E. It doesn't feel sluggish - just quietly there. A heretical note - the only bike I ever had that felt as tangibly THERE as this one was a battered Gitane Professionnal Super Corsa I once owned. That was once sweet old frameset, despite the dents and the bondo.
5. Today I got to wear regular cycling gloves for the first time on this bike. I kept thinking about how good the Tresso cloth tape felt under my hands. This is on top of observing how simply perfect the "ramps" feel under my hands while riding. They just fit my palms to perfection. Two layers of Tresso on Dream Bars - I'm sold. Again, part of this is related to the higher bars - I'd want more than Tresso on my Bianchi, for instance.
6. I've about got the knack of shifting with friction bar-ends again. I wind up trimming the front pretty regularly, but that's all right. I did have to solve a minor problem with the front shifter - the bolt holding the lever in the mount kept working loose. Phil Grease on the inside surface of the bolt head and on the body, coupled with beeswax on the threads where they go into the nut seems to have solved this.
7. The Nitto bottle cages have an interesting quirk, if you leave one of them empty. I hit a nasty bump and thought I heard something crack. I rode cautiously for a moment, shrugged, and went to take a drink. The "crack" was actually the open ends of the cage clicking against each other. Interesting.
That's it for now. I'll post another after a few longish rides, when I find out if it's as stable when I'm really tired.
Russ Fitzgerald
Greenwood SC
rfitzger@emeraldis.com